South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has come out swinging after a group of 59 white South Africans, all of Afrikaner descent, were granted refugee status in the United States under President Donald Trump’s directive. Ramaphosa, speaking at an agricultural expo in the Free State on Monday, didn’t mince words—branding the group “cowards” who “don’t want to be part of fixing the country’s problems.”
“They’ll be back soon,” he said confidently, dismissing the move as a politically charged stunt rather than a reflection of genuine persecution. “When you run away, you are a coward. And that’s a real cowardly act.”
The controversial departure of the Afrikaners—descendants of early Dutch settlers—comes on the heels of rising global attention to South Africa’s land reform policy, racial equity efforts, and long-simmering historical wounds. While the group claims they’ve faced racial discrimination and threats back home, Ramaphosa strongly rejected the narrative.
“South Africa is not perfect. But it is ours. We’re the only country on the continent where the colonisers came to stay—and we have never driven them out,” Ramaphosa added at another appearance in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. “This story of white genocide is fiction. A dangerous one.”
The group arrived at Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C., to a warm welcome from top U.S. officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Chris Landau. Surrounded by red, white, and blue balloons and waving miniature American flags, the new arrivals were received with emotional embraces and bold declarations.
“Welcome to the land of the free,” Landau said. “You’ve lived too long under a shadow of violence and terror. That ends today.”
President Trump—now in his second term—has repeatedly amplified claims that white South African farmers are being persecuted and that land is being seized without compensation, echoing sentiments often voiced by his close ally, Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa. The Trump administration’s refugee offer comes just months after Ramaphosa signed a controversial land reform law that allows for expropriation without compensation in specific cases deemed “in the public interest.” However, no land has yet been taken under that law.
Critics of Trump’s move say it’s a provocation—a deliberate attempt to spotlight South Africa’s racial and political complexities through a distorted lens. The White House, however, insists it is protecting minorities.
“They do not fit the definition of refugees,” he said flatly, responding to questions about the Afrikaners’ eligibility. “They have not been persecuted. They have disagreed with transformation, yes. But disagreement is not danger.”
According to the U.S. embassy in Pretoria, to qualify for refugee status under this special program, applicants must belong to a minority group and demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution. But the South African government says the departures are political theater—framed by those unwilling to reckon with the post-apartheid path to equity.
The president’s “coward” remark has ignited backlash online, with some accusing Ramaphosa of dismissing real concerns and inflaming racial tension. But others have defended the statement as a firm reminder that South Africa’s challenges require unity—not flight.
“They left because they didn’t like change,” said social activist Thabo Mokwena. “No one is chasing them. They just didn’t want to stay and share.”
The issue is already straining diplomatic ties. President Trump has reportedly threatened to boycott the upcoming G20 summit in South Africa unless what he called the “situation” is resolved.
“This is our country. We’re staying to fix it. The door is open for those who want to be part of that,” he said. “As for those who left, they will realize soon enough, there’s no place like home.”
